The Bookstore Cafe.

Early last week the News Shopper reported on a story that I predicted back in June 2017. The Europa Industrial Estate in Fraser Road, Erith, which has been struggling with many unoccupied industrial units for a considerable time, has applied for a change of use for part of the estate. A developer is trying again to get permission for an unusual development at the site – converting the warehouse / workshop units in Europa House into a new use facility made up of six workshops on the ground floor and 31 “live-work” units above. The live in units are designed for people to live in the same place that they work. Permission has already been sought, and granted for a similar development in the adjacent Fraser House – with developer Primeregal using that decision as backing for its own 31-bed plan. In a statement, published in the News Shopper last Monday the developer said of its scheme: “It makes the most efficient use of Bexley’s land, ensuring a balance between the needs of business and industry and other land uses that are integral to building sustainable communities, including housing. These revised proposals are commended to the council in an endeavour to overcome the council’s objection to the previous planning application and thus avoid the necessity of the programmed planning inquiry.” Several of the industrial units are already being used for creative purposes; internationally renown artist Gary Drostle has his main ceramics and mosaic design studio in the building, though I don't think he lives there. I predicted - pretty accurately, all things considered, that something of this nature would happen from some rumours that I heard in the summer of 2017; back then I wrote:- "The rumour (and it is only that at this stage) is that the owners of The Europa Industrial Estate in Fraser Road are having problems finding suitable tenants for much of the extensive site; the former Europa Gym is now converted into a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO), but many of the other industrial units lay empty. Consultation with an industrial estate agent suggests that around twenty units on the Europa Estate have been empty for some considerable time, with little interest from local businesses in occupying them. My information is that the owners of the Europa Estate are currently considering relocating the few businesses in the Eastern, Erith end of the estate into the Western end, nearer to the BATT Cables site; they would then sell the Eastern side of the estate to a property developer. I can see the thinking in this; the Erith Quarry site, only a couple of hundred metres further along Fraser Road is seeing exceedingly good business, with many units already sold "off plan". The owners of the Europa Estate may well wish to copy this - after all, if they can get the necessary planning permissions from Bexley Council (surely a formality with the track record of this local administration) then the land would be worth a king's ransom, situated as it is adjacent to Erith Station, Erith town centre and road links to the M25, the South Circular and the A2. I stress that what I have heard are merely rumours". It would now appear that the rumours were substantially correct. The Europa Industrial Estate has had its share of controversy over the years, including an audacious, illegal nightclub which was opened in one of the larger factory units. Back in November 2008 GC’s Nightclub opened in an old and abandoned industrial unit in The Europa Industrial Estate. The club had no fire certificate, insurance, drinks licence, or indeed any form of legal standing. The shady people behind it hid behind an obscure law which states that unlicensed premises can be used to hold entertainment events up to twelve times per year. The law was intended to allow youth clubs and scout / guide troops to hold cabarets and pantomimes in their village halls without needing to get council approval. Back in 2008, on the day the illegal nightclub opened I wrote of it:- "It is located on Fraser Road, in part of what is left of the run down Europa Industrial Estate. Not what I would consider the prime location for a venue, but no doubt the property was cheap. Reports suggest that building work was still going on an hour before the opening time. Apparently the club was playing "Happy Hardcore" when my spy walked past in the early hours of the morning. I think that is the kind of dance music that goes "whumpf whumpf" - not that I could really care much either way; I have serious doubts that the place will ever serve real ale or play Jethro Tull album tracks. I am not sure if the venue has a proper licence or permission, but at least it is away from a residential area, and stuck bang in the middle of a spectacularly grotty industrial estate that dominates eastern Erith. They are welcome to it". Unscrupulous operators pervert and misuse the law to set up "pop - up" nightclubs in old and often unsafe buildings; they set up the club, then just before opening to the public, they apply for planning permission and an entertainment licence. In most instances, this prevents the council from closing them immediately – they have to wait for the often lengthy legal process of licence approval / denial to go through. In the meantime the club operates with virtual impunity – usually over the Christmas period. The owners know that they have no realistic chance of getting their application approved, and this really is not the point – they get to open over the lucrative Christmas period, only to close up shop as soon as the licence application is thrown out. They then disappear without paying any bills. This is exactly the situation that nearly happened with GC’s Nightclub, but so much negative publicity was generated at the time via both the Maggot Sandwich, and the News Shopper that the venue only opened for three nights before the operators pulled out. It was just as well, as I understand the place was full of blue asbestos, the wiring was condemned and it had no fire escape. The operators disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving unpaid suppliers, and nothing has been heard of them since.

As regular readers will be aware, the old and much loved Carnegie Library, located in Walnut Tree Road, Erith has been undergoing a complete refurbishment over the last year or so, after the historic Edwardian building was left empty and abandoned for around ten years. It is shortly to reopen to the public as an arts, community and education centre run by an organisation known as The Exchange. The first part of the phased reopening of the Old Library is due to take place shortly, as Sarah Batten will now explain:- "The Exchange at Erith’s Old Library is set to launch its Bookstore Café on February 14th – a new gastronomic adventure for Erith run by talented local chef Marina Power. Marina trained and taught at the world-renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, famed for its local, sustainable and zero-waste approach to cooking. Marina will be bringing this ethos and her experience to the much-loved Old Library building in Erith. Alongside, The Exchange will be running a fantastic and varied programme of events including film evenings, craft workshops and family seed planting activities. The Exchange is also providing space for other local talent to showcase what they do, including Pilates teacher Melissa Janneh, local artist Merissa Hylton, and arts social entrepreneur Jade Flannery who will be delivering musical theatre and drama for young people. The Exchange is also partnering closely with London South East Colleges who will be using the Old Library to exhibit their work and put on performances, as well as helping The Exchange to create a fantastic kitchen garden filled with herbs, edible flowers and maybe even chickens. To find out more, please visit The Exchange website: www.theexchangeerith.com". Bexley Council have published the following comments about the forthcoming opening of The Exchange in the old Erith Library:- "The first phase of refurbishment work on Erith’s iconic Carnegie Building is complete. Local company, The Exchange, is set to officially occupy the building from 1 February. Council officers have worked closely with Historic England and The Exchange to ensure that the refurbishment of the lower ground area has been carried out in a way that preserves the character of the building. The improvements which also include the restoration of the weathervane and full replacement of the roof of the building, have been funded by London Borough of Bexley and the Mayor of London as part of its partnership project, the ‘Greater Erith Programme’. Following its handover to The Exchange, the lower ground area of the building will be open to the public from 14 February. It will house ‘The Conversation Room’, an area for creativity and community events, as well as ‘The Bookstore Cafe’, a fantastic new space for freshly produced food and drink run by talented local chef Marina Power. Cllr Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “It’s wonderful to see this beautiful old building being brought back into use for the benefit of the local community. Erith is one of the main locations that will gain from our ambitious growth strategy for the borough. We want to make the area a thriving riverside town centre once again." Sarah Batten, Co-Director of The Exchange said: “We are so excited to launch our programme in February – there will be lots for people to do, including exhibitions, performances, kitchen garden planting, sewing and embroidery classes and film nights. We look forward to welcoming the community back into the building.” London Borough of Bexley and The Exchange have secured National Lottery Funding to continue the refurbishment of the Carnegie building. During 2019 they plan to apply for a full grant to fund the next phase of the work, which will focus on renovating the upper two floors". What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Since last week's shock announcement of the takeover of London's last major brewer - Fuller's, but Japanese brewing giant Asahi, there have been some developments. Two brewing industry insiders have independently contacted me regarding what they believe to be Asahi's plans for Fullers into the future, and it is somewhat worrying. I wrote in my piece last week that many commentators have expressed reservations as to whether the Asahi - who are well known for brewing gassy and bland lagers, will be able to maintain Fullers beer quality, and also worries that the large brewery location would be worth a fortune a potential property developer for the prestigious Chiswick site. Analysts speculated that the Fuller's Griffin site could be worth up to £100 million, so could be ripe for even partial redevelopment. On top of this there may well be an unexpected consequence. Currently Asahi beers are brewed in the UK under licence by Faversham, Kent based brewers Shepherd Neame. With Asahi taking over Fullers, there would be no need for Asahi to have their beers brewed by a third party. It turns out that my fears may have been somewhat incorrect; instead of the Asahi owned Fullers taking brewing back from Shepherd Neame, word reaches me from two sources that the opposite is more likely to be the case. I have been told that Asahi may well outsource all brewing of Fullers and Gales branded beers to Shepherd Neame on a permanent basis, then sell the Chiswick based Griffin brewery site to be redeveloped for high end housing. This would follow the model established by Young's when they sold off their Ram brewery for redevelopment back in 2006. The Chiswick site is said to be worth between £90 and £100 million to a large property developer. 

The photo above is a bit of a mind boggler to anyone with modern sensibilities. The picture was taken in 1910 (and thus most definitely in the public domain) and shows members of the 4th Erith Scout Troop (Vickers’ Own). The scout troop were sponsored by armaments manufacturer Vickers, who had factories in both Erith and Crayford. The boys were trained to fire the Vickers machine gun, by their supervisor Gunner Sergeant Budge, who can be seen sporting a magnificent moustache in the background. The team took the machine gun around the country to Boy Scout rallies, where they gave demonstrations of its’ firepower.  It makes me wonder how many of the boys in the photo were later killed in the First World War, which started only four years after the photo was taken, when they would all have been old enough to be eligible for call – up. Pseudo military organisations such as the Boy’s Brigade and the Scouts were fertile targets for recruiters at the outbreak of war, and in any case, many young men, who were ignorant of the horrors of the trenches, eagerly joined up “to be with their mates” – as the army allowed young men who lived in the same geographical area to sign up and serve together. Whole factories, clubs and churches were emptied of their menfolk in this manner – many of whom would never return.

As I have mentioned a couple of times in the past, The London Borough of Bexley shares a great deal of similarities with our neighbouring borough of Havering on the opposite bank of the River Thames. Havering has a similar geography, residential demographic and council budget, but they tend to do things rather differently to Bexley. Last week Havering Police carried out an experiment which sent alarm bells ringing with civil liberties groups, and also some members of the IT security community. The Metropolitan Police have been using automated facial recognition (AFR) technology since 2016, but its decision to do so in the absence of any legal framework or oversight has drawn criticism from privacy advocates, politicians and watchdogs. A van was parked outside Romford Station in East London from 10am to 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday – plenty of time to catch rush hour. The Metropolitan Police has consistently said that the technology will be used "overtly", but at the previous rollout in December the cameras were fitted to unmarked green vans. Campaign group Liberty, on the scene, said that this time there is Met Police branding on the blue van – although this doesn't say anything about AFR. Both cameras were focused on the entrance to the station. The group also noted that one of the two the public information notices were so positioned that anyone reading it would be caught on camera. In an interview with the science and technology news website, The Register, Liberty's advocacy and policy officer Hannah Couchman said:- "One of Liberty's key concerns is that this is supposed to be a trial, but by the time you're informed that it's happening you're probably already on camera. Underlying such concerns are question marks over the efficacy of the technology itself. A Freedom of Information request by Big Brother Watch found the Met's use of the technology had a 98 per cent false positive rate. An academic study also poked holes in its abilities in low light and crowds. Despite this, the police have continued to subject Londoners to this lawless and intrusive technology, ignoring and infringing their rights. The police's use of live facial recognition has been an expensive failure, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds, and with a misidentification rate of almost 100 per cent". Whether the trials at Romford Station will be expanded locally is at present unknown. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Sadly we have a burglary to report this week in Parkside Avenue.The incident occurred overnight between 11.30pm on Sunday 27th January and 6am on Monday 28th January. Suspects have entered the property whilst the occupier was sleeping by forcing the front UPVC door which was NOT double locked, once inside they have taken car keys and using the keys have stolen a Silver Mercedes E class from the drive. Registration number J8BMY. On Friday 18th January the Barnehurst team assisted by Crayford and Bexleyheath SNT carried out a drugs warrant at Hampton House, Erith Road. This resulted in a quantity of drugs being seized with one suspect being charged to appear at court and another receiving a community resolution (cannabis warning). Since December we have had 9 confirmed residential burglaries across the ward in 8 of these entry was gained via UPVC doors which were NOT double locked. Some offences have occurred whilst the occupiers were at home sleeping. Insurance companies are refusing to pay out stating that your property was not correctly secured and therefore a breach of terms and conditions of any policy. We cannot stress enough how important it is to secure yours doors properly. If you have a UPVC door it must be locked with the key, just lifting the handle does not secure the locking mechanism.it will take the average person just seconds to open a door that has not been double locked. Remember lift the handle and lock with a key. A member of the team will be at Barnehurst Golf Course on Tuesday 5th February at 4pm, please pop along to discuss any local issues or concerns. If you have information but feel uneasy talking to the police. Please consider calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 This is completely anonymous and you do not have to give any personal details. Please follow us on twitter @MPSBarnehurst we can also be found on FaceBook under Barnehurst Police". Belvedere ward:- "There have been 3 reported burglaries this week. The first was on Wednesday 23rd January and occurred at around 6pm in Abbey Road. A male entered a property through the front door but is not thought to have left with any items as the resident was at home at this time. The second took place on Saturday 26th January in Fendyke Road between 4.30pm and midnight. Entry was gained to a property via the rear patio door which had a glass panel smashed in order to get into the house. Several items were then taken from the location including jewellery and cash. The third took place in Picardy Road between 8 am and 8.30 am on Tuesday 29th January. An unknown person forced entry to the property by damaging the front door (glass again smashed). A handbag was then taken from the property containing cash and personal items. We have been receiving reports of several groups gathering in Telford and Kelvin Houses in Picardy Street/ Dylan Road who are then causing disruption to residents and are also thought to be using drugs at these locations. Our efforts to patrol these areas have thus far been unsuccessful but will continue over this coming weekend as we are working late into the night. As mentioned last week, we have been carrying out searches of several locations on the ward in an effort to find items that may have been used in crime. We have visited Belvedere train station, Dryhill Road, Picardy Street and Monarch Road most recently and will be continuing this activity into February. The team are also going to be visiting a ‘street a week' to speak to as many residents as possible, to gain information should there be any issues related to crime or anti-social behaviour in a particular area. Should any issues arise from this, we will then work with our partner agencies to find a solution. We have visited Prospect Close recently and plan to visit Halt Robin Road this coming weekend. Further streets will be visited in the very near future". Bexleyheath ward:- "We have no reports of burglaries over the last week. We have had one report of a criminal damage to motor vehicle along Rydal Drive, this was on the Friday 25/01/2019 in the late evening; Tuesday 29/01/2019 – There was a report of a theft of purse taken from a handbag along the Broadway; Saturday 26/01/2019 – Report of theft of front & rear number plates that had happened along Pinnacle Hill Bexleyheath, this was in the evening time; Tuesday 22/01/2019 – There was a report of a theft of mobile phone from inside the Primark store Bexleyheath. The team are regularly conducting targeted patrols for burglary and anti-social behaviour. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 or 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Firstly lets have some good news. Crayford SNT had a good court result on Monday. A person who had been using his mobile phone whilst driving was given 6 points and a fine, including costs of £828.00, he will face a ban if he appears in front of the magistrate again. Sadly, we have had one burglary on our ward this week. It occurred on Monday 29th January between 08.00-16.00 hours. Entry was through a smashed window, it seems the burglar left via the rear door. An untidy search was made and a British and European currency was stolen as well as a large amount of Asian Gold. A rose gold iPhone 6 was stolen from an address in Medway Road on Tuesday 18th January between 13.00-16.00, the front door had been open as workmen had been present. A silver Ford Galaxy was stolen from an address in Woodside Road on Thursday 24th January. The owner still has the one set of keys for the vehicle. Local CCTV shows a white bald male go straight to the vehicle and enter by unknown means and drive it away. The vehicle was located by police after being seen driving erratically in Abbey Wood, abandoned and unlocked. It was found to be now on false plates and removed for forensic opportunities. A theft of number plates occurred from a Blue Volkswagon Caddy between Friday 18th and 27th January. The number plates, PL15 5HJ should be attached to a British Gas van. We intend to be at Crayford Library on Saturday 9th February between 11.00-12.00. If you would like to come along and speak with us about any concerns you may have". Erith ward:- "This week we have had a few burglaries (detailed below). Also there have been 2 reports of mugging / robbery one was at knife point – both in secluded places, Erith underpass and Birch Walk, at this time they do not seemed linked. Be on your guard if you are in these areas if you see anyone acting strangely, phone 999/101. We will be actively patrolling these areas, both in plain clothing and uniform".  Northumberland Heath ward:- "We held our ward panel meeting recently and we have agreed to focus more time on the following issues; 1) Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground – Tackling Anti-Social behaviour; 2) Becton Place – Tackling Anti-Social behaviour and Drugs misuse; 3) Charliville Road – Tackling motor vehicle crime such as Criminal Damage. We will keep you updated with any result we have here. Over the last week we have conducted a number weapons sweeps across the ward as part of the Met's Operation Sceptre. The idea of Operation Sceptre is to try and proactively reduce violent crime across the Met by searching hotspot areas for any weapons which may have been either discarded or stashed away. During the last week we recovered an old Machete in Avenue Road and a small claw hammer from Charliville Road. Please get in contact with us if you see anything of concern you need us to collect. We have had a burglary in Dalmeny Road, entry was forced via the rear bedroom window from the garden. Property which included money and vehicle key were stolen. There has also been a non-residential burglary in Sussex Road. An outbuilding was broken into and property including a black mountain bike was stolen. There has been a vehicle stolen from Hurst Road, a grey Peugeot van registration LM68YMO. The driver was delivering at the time and the suspect has stolen the vehicle whilst the driver was distracted. There was an attempted vehicle theft at Parsonage Manorway but the two suspect were seen by the owner and they ran off. Our next Police Surgery will be held at Mill Road, Library on Wednesday 6th February at 2pm. No appointment required if you wish to speak with us please pop in".

Appliances and multiple fire fighters attended a house fire in Bridge Road in Slade Green and Northend ward on Wednesday.

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Only two relevant crimes this week to report. A vehicle was criminally damaged on Crescent Road on Friday 25th January and a victim was assaulted on Slade Green Road on Saturday 26th January at approximately 10:00 hours near to the newly re-opened railway foot bridge which connects Slade Green Road and Bridge Road. We believe that this assault was witnessed by a female who, thankfully, intervened. We would like to speak with this female witness and would like to appeal to her (or anyone who may know her) to come forward and make contact with the local police. On Monday 28th January a male was searched on Dale View and found in possession of herbal cannabis which was seized and given a warning. Finally, on Monday 28th January at 06:40 am a 43 year old male was arrested for a public order offence following a report of a disturbance at Slade Green Railway Station –Please contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference number 45 of 28/01/19 if you witnessed this incident. Our next Community Contact Session is on Saturday 9th February at our office, please feel free to pop along".Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - No burglaries to report this week. However remain vigilant at all times. Theft from a motor vehicle - Between the hours of 07:45 of Wednesday 23/01/19 and 07:59am of Thursday 24/01/19 the number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked near Dexter House St John Fisher Road. A vehicle parked locked and secure in Mangold Way had both front and rear number plates taken overnight of Sunday 27/01/19 and Monday 28/01/19. In Glimpsing Green a vehicle believed to have been locked, secure and parked on the drive, had the Sat Nav stolen sometime between Friday 25/01/19 at 8:00pm and 10:00am on Sunday 27/01/19.Between the hours of 06:00pm on Tuesday 29/01/19 and 06:30am Wednesday 30/01/19 a vehicle parked in Holstein Way had the front and rear number plates stolen. Crime Prevention - Wallets, purses ,handbags ,credit cards and loose change should never be left in an unattended vehicle. Remove sat nav mounts, suction cup marks on windows and cables which may indicate electrical items in the vehicle. Good news - A male who lives locally, attended Woolwich Crown Court and was found guilty of supplying Class A / Cocaine, is now serving two and half years in prison". West Heath ward:- "From Wednesday 23rd January we have the following crimes to report: We have suffered three Theft from Motor Vehicles. On the 22nd January in New Road from 0630 hours the driver's window was smashed a suit and sunglasses were stolen. In Leckwith Avenue on the 25th January between 0615-1500 the front and rear number plates were taken from the vehicle. On the 2th January between 0700-midnight a front head light was stolen from a vehicle in Totnes Road. Theft of Motor Vehicle: Overnight on the 29th between 2100-0739 hours a person's mobility vehicle was stolen in Powys Close. The ward will be carrying out their next Community Contact Session on 9th February in Hurst Lane Estate, Hurst Lane between 1300-1400 hours. Please be aware If police in uniform or in civilian clothing call at your address unexpectedly call West Heath Team on 0208 721 2885, if there is no reply do not leave a message but call 999 immediately as we have been made aware of fake police ID cards. We have been made aware of drug activity in Hurlingham Avenue and we will be carrying out high visibility patrols around the area to address the issue. The team have carried out three weapon sweeps, one at Bostall Heath Park and two at West Heath Recreation ground which have resulted in a negative search".

The ed video this week gives a look into what the interiors of the new houses that form the Quarry development will look like. 

Atlas One.

The images above - click on either for a larger version, show a leaflet that has been posted through the front doors of residents of parts of Upper Belvedere, Northumberland Heath and Erith. The bus service will operate on weekdays only, and will run between Harrow Manorway outside of Abbey Wood Station, and Carlton Road in Northumberland Heath. The service will somewhat inappropriately be called The Nuxley Navigator - as previously covered, "Nuxley Village" does not exist - it is properly named Belvedere Village, or Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere. The roads that the new private bus service will cover are as follows:- Towards Abbey Wood Station (mornings only) - Carlton Road, Brook Street, Parsonage Manorway, Swaylands Road, Matfield Road, Stream Way, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Glenview, West Heath Road, Brampton Road, Knee Hill, Harrow Manorway. Towards Erith (afternoons only) - Harrow Manorway, Knee Hill, Brampton Road, West Heath Road, Glenview, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Stream Way Matfield Road, Swaylands Road, Parsonage Manorway, Brook Street, and Carlton Road. The Crossrail service will be opening at Abbey Wood Station at the end of this year, and many of the roads covered by The Nuxley Navigator are currently not covered by any existing bus service. The Nuxley Navigator features a reserved seat and, in London, standard rides are £2.40, though the introductory price is £1.60. A standard bus fare is £1.50. Chariot works by being pre-bookable but with predetermined stops, similar to a bus route. The real reason for the service is to connect the Erith Quarry housing development with Abbey Wood Station. The developers of Erith Quarry are aiming the new development primarily at second or third time buyers who want larger, family sized houses - for people who intend to "put down roots" in the area. In order to attract middle class professional people into the local area, they need so show that there are good commuting connections into London - something that The London Borough of Bexley has lacked up until now. The fact that we have no DLR or Tube services in the Borough has been a factor that has discouraged some people from moving into the area. Providing a purpose built mini bus link between the Erith Quarry site and Abbey Wood Station will do much to convince people that they should move into the area, as housing is significantly cheaper than in other parts of London, and the commuting issue will be at least partially answered by The Nuxley Navigator - even if the name of the new bus service is inaccurate. On Bank Holiday Monday I Emailed Chariot to let them know of a couple of errors in their flyer, which I felt that they should be notified about. If you examine the flyer above closely, you will no doubt spot that there are a number of inaccuracies and factual errors on it. The leaflet refers to "Lessness" instead of the historically correct "Lesnes" or the also correct and more contemporary spelling of "Lesness" - this is a fairly minor issue when compared to the other one - which regular readers will be aware of. The promotional leaflet repeatedly to "Nuxley Village" - which of course does not exist. The correct name is Belvedere Village, or Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere. The name "Nuxley Village" is a fiction created by Estate Agents who know nothing of the area, or its history. The name "Belvedere" has been in existence since at least 1235AD, when the first details of it were recorded. The name Nuxley was sometimes spelled Naxley, which in turn is a corruption of Knocksley, meaning a small hill. Nuxley Road was originally named Bexley Road, until March 1939 when it was renamed as Nuxley Road, which it remains to date. There is no record of Upper Belvedere ever having been named "Nuxley Village", and parish records for the area date back to 1235 AD, and survived the reformation, when ownership of the parish was transferred from Lesnes Abbey to the owners of Parsonage Farm (on what is now Parsonage Manor Way). During the late 19th century, Parsonage Farm was owned by the Vinson family, who were at the time rich and powerful enough to issue their own trade tokens (a kind of informal local currency). There are records that beer houses such as the Fox, and full pubs such as the Eardley Arms took trade tokens for payment for food and drink until sometime around 1900. The farm buildings, which were  constructed in the Middle Ages (principally to provide food and drink for Abbot and Monks at Lesnes Abbey) lasted until the end of WWII, when it was used to house an auxiliary fire station. After the war the building was so derelict it was demolished. Thus, the name “Nuxley Village” is a construct – a fictional creation of local estate agents who have no knowledge of the history of the area. Upper Belvedere has been so called for at least the last 783 years, and the thoughtless action of a handful of ignorant house peddlers is not going to change facts any time soon. What do you think about the whole situation? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Earlier last week I was sent the historical photo you see above - click on it for a larger view. The photo was taken some time in the late Victorian era - probably around 1898 - 1899; Businessman William Cory had been seeking a way to avoid high wharf charges when bringing coal from colliers which sailed down the North Sea from Tyneside and into the Thames to be unloaded at Erith. Cory came up with the idea of unloading the colliers in the middle of the Thames, and trans - shipping the coal onto barges and lighters, thus avoiding the wharf fees that taking the coal directly ashore would bring. In order to do this, he bought and converted an old salvage vessel called the Atlas One, which you can see above. I was a hodge podge of part ship, part steam powered, floating industrial estate as can clearly be seen. It was part of the original inspiration for the modern "Steam Punk" movement (more on this later - who says I don't plan these things?) Atlas One was very successful, and let to the creation of Atlas Two and Three, all of which operated on the Thames around Erith for several decades, until shortly before the outbreak of World War One, where they were broken up and sold for scrap. I would imagine that the river front at Erith must have been quite an experience in the late Victorian era; smoke from innumerable coal fires and ships' boilers, along with the smell of raw sewage being pumped downstream from Crossness, and the general pollution that filled the Thames at the time must have created an absolutely terrible stink. I do know that on one occasion some years prior to this period, a young Queen Victoria was being taken on a guided tour of Cambridge, as she walked on a bridge over the then heavily sewage polluted River Cam, she saw pieces of paper on the surface of the water, when she asked her guide what the papers were, her quick witted guide tactfully replied- "They are notices saying that it is forbidden to bathe, your Majesty!" Quite. 

The third Crossness Steampunk Convivial is due to take place on the 1st of September. More on this popular annual event later on in the update.

I have had messages from several readers enquiring about the building work that is currently being undertaken in the South Eastern end of Morrison's car park in James Watt Way, Erith. After some enquiries, I have discovered that there is going to be a new car washing facility - you will be able to leave your car whilst you shop in the supermarket, and when you return it will have been washed and valeted. I also understand that there will be some kind of tyre replacement facility, though the details are still somewhat vague and sketchy. I have heard that locals have complained about the noise from the existing car washing facility located parallel to Crescent Road, next to the Morrison's petrol station. Apparently the loud hissing noises from the car wash have been disturbing local residents both early in the morning and late at night. On another Morrison's related note, the supermarket chain have done one of their periodic headline - grabbing stunts; last time it was giant Yorkshire puddings containing pizza fillings. This time it is an absolutely gigantic full English breakfast, served in their cafe's. The giant breakfast consists of 19 pieces, including three rashers of British bacon, three British pork sausages, three hash browns, two half slices of fried bread, two fried eggs, two half tomatoes, two black puddings, baked beans and sliced mushrooms. Priced at £6, the fry-up has eight items more than Morrisons’ standard big breakfast and is double the size of some other supermarket cafe offerings. I think that Morrison's is making a mistake with this food offering; I feel that they are sending out entirely the wrong message in this age of obesity. Still it has done exactly what it set out to do - get the supermarket chain lots of column inches in both newspapers and online.

Conjecture as to what business would occupy the ground floor, former bar area of the refurbished White Hart building in Erith High Street has now come to an end. The speculation had included it becoming an Indian restaurant, or alternatively a Gelato parlour. Both of these turned out to be incorrect. The place is actually going to be an African restaurant and bar. I don't currently have much in the way of details, but by the look of the place, it is going to be a little more upmarket than the existing K's Spice African Restaurant in Pier Road. There is certainly more than enough business for two restaurants in the town. I do have one reservation, however. As I have written in the past, the proliferation of African restaurants in Erith, Plumstead and Woolwich has been noted, but they seem to restrict their advertising and publicity to within the African community – they don’t seem to make any efforts to encourage other customers to try them out. Back in the early 1960’s a large number of men migrated to the UK from mainly Bangladesh and Pakistan. Initially they opened small cafes to cater for their desire from food from home. Never people to miss the main chance, some of the more entrepreneurial of them realised that they were sitting on a huge, untapped market of British people who were used to a fairly bland diet, and who might well find the novelty and diversity of a foreign cuisine a real attraction – as most definitely turned out to be the case. The food served in what became the high street curry house might not have resembled what you would be served in a respectable family abode in Lahore, as the dishes were tweaked both for the relatively untutored British palate, and were also made easier to make in large quantities with cheaper ingredients. By this clever tailoring of the food to appeal to the British, many curry house owners went on to earn vast fortunes, both from restaurant chains, and the later move into chilled ready meals, tinned curry sauces and a plethora of other “Indian” style comestibles. The market in the UK alone is now worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year. It strikes me that the African restaurants could take a similar approach – tweak the menu to appeal to the Brits (who nowadays are a lot more open to experimentation than back in the 1960’s) and welcome them in – the tills might then start ringing. To be honest, it may be difficult for the independent African food outlets to gain a toe in a more general market, as big business has already seen the gap. You might be wondering what chain already sells African food? Nando’s – it is marketed as “Piri Piri” style food, but it is basically a watered down version of Southern / West African cuisine. For example, what Nando’s call their “Spicy Rice” is called “Jollof Rice” in Nigeria and much of Africa in general. Nando’s has been an astonishing success in the UK – it is one of the fastest growing food brands, and it has an amazingly high brand value and level of recognition. Unlike many fast food outlets, it has fan sites and even has a UK wide website for reviewers.

It is now almost exactly ten years since work initially began on what was to become an illegal nightclub based in an empty and unused warehouse unit in The Europa Industrial Estate in Fraser Road, Erith. Efforts to covertly convert the dilapidated and abandoned warehouse building began many months before it was due to open to the public, almost certainly in an effort to operate "under the radar" of the authorities. I am happy to say that I had a small part in getting it closed down. Back in November 2008 GC’s Nightclub opened in an old and abandoned industrial unit in The Europa Industrial Estate - the historic photo above shows the place just before it opened for the first time. The club had no fire certificate, insurance, drinks licence, or indeed any form of legal standing. The shady people behind it hid behind an obscure law which states that unlicensed premises can be used to hold entertainment events up to twelve times per year. The law was intended to allow youth clubs and scout / guide troops to hold cabarets and pantomimes in their village halls without needing to get council approval. Unscrupulous operators pervert and misuse the law to set up "pop - up" nightclubs in old and often unsafe buildings; they set up the club, then just before opening to the public, they apply for planning permission and an entertainment licence. In most instances, this prevents the council from closing them immediately – they have to wait for the often lengthy legal process of licence approval / denial to go through. In the meantime the club operates with virtual impunity – usually over the Christmas period. The owners know that they have no realistic chance of getting their application approved, and this really is not the point – they get to open over the lucrative Christmas period, only to close up shop as soon as the licence application is thrown out. They then disappear without paying any bills. This is exactly the situation that nearly happened with GC’s Nightclub, but so much negative publicity was generated via both the Maggot Sandwich, and the News Shopper that the venue only opened for three nights before the operators pulled out. It was just as well, as I understand the place was full of blue asbestos, the wiring was condemned and it had no fire escape. The operators disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving unpaid suppliers, and nothing has been heard of them since. I am all for new leisure and entertainment facilities in the local area; there is very little to do in and around Erith in the evenings at the moment (though this is soon to change), but they need to be legal and safe, and GC’s was neither. Relics of the abortive GC Nightclub can still be seen in Fraser Road, if you look carefully; the black plastic "GC" sign still hangs over the double doorway, though all other evidence of the short lived and illegal club has now long gone.

Now for the weekly local safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "The Barnehurst Team are pleased to report there have been no burglaries on the ward this past week. We continue to remind our residents to ensure all doors are double locked by lifting the handle and turning the key. Having a low front boundary may steer burglars away as they will not want to be overlooked. Make climbing difficult by using trellis and spiky plants to the sides and rear boundaries. A gravel driveway can prevent a silent approach and where possible wheelie bins and recycle boxes should be stored away to prevent them being used as a climbing aid. With the summer holidays approaching we urge residents to speak to family and trusted neighbours when going on holiday to ensure wheelie bins are taken in on collection day, post is pushed through letter box and where possible lights are turned on and off and curtains drawn. If you do not wish to discuss your plans of being away from home there are a number of crime prevention gadgets on the market which can be useful whilst you are away on holiday. Over the past week the only crime reported was one of criminal damage to motor vehicle in Parkside Avenue which occurred between the 23/05/18 at 11.00am to 24/05/18 at 10.00am. After parking the vehicle the victim returned and found a crack to a rear window and a dent in the roof of the vehicle. The victim believes this was caused by a rock that was found by the vehicle. Thank you to the residents who joined us at Barnehurst Golf Club this week. Our next date is scheduled for Tuesday 5th June 2018 at 11.00am so please come and meet the team to discuss any matters you need raised". Bexleyheath ward:- "Our next contact session is going to be at the NHW AGM at Geddes Place between 7.30pm and 9.30pm, just to make you all aware. Another reminder, as part of Bike Week we have been invited to be a part of this initiative which is on Saturday 9th June along the Broadway between 10am and 2pm. Where be lots of stalls etc. and we will have our bike marking stall as well as the MSC holding a recruitment stall. There is no charge for this so please pop along if you are available with your bikes and get them marked, feel free to mention to others who may not get this information. As usual we are continually patrolling the ASB areas on our ward at various times which includes open spaces, car parks and areas you have informed us of. We have had various reports of ASB around the ward involving, youths in Martens Grove Park, drugs and involving motorbikes and cars. We have had recently had a report of an attempted burglary on the 28/05/2018 along Haslemere Road Bexleyheath and a residential burglary reported on the same day along the Broadway Bexleyheath. We have had two arrests along the Broadway last Wednesday. One was for criminal damage and another for obstructing Police. Also there was another arrest for shop lifting at LIDL including assault on Police and shop staff. A motorbike had been reported stolen on the 29/05/2018 from the Broadway Bexleyheath Any NHW members that now come under our team because of the new ward boundaries. Please feel free to make contact with us so we are aware to help aid communication".  Crayford ward:- "Thankfully, there have been no residential burglaries this week but please don’t become complacent. Keep your home totally secure when you leave it and close all downstairs doors and windows when going upstairs, even for a short time as burglars are usually opportunist. The same for being in our back gardens during lovely weather, keep all front windows closed and front doors locked and secure. You would be amazed how often we have knocked on doors, front windows wide open and can actually see the family playing and enjoying a BBQ in their garden, so easy to climb through an open downstairs window, please don’t become a victim of this type of crime. Crimes this week has mainly been vehicle related. On 21st May between 09.30-10.00 a white Ford Transit was broken in to at Stadium Way. A laptop, water pump and clothing were stolen. On 22nd May at 23.35 the victim was returning to his Toyota Prius parked at Church Hill, where he saw a Male by his car, heard a shattering sound and saw the Male run away, he realised that his work PDA was visible on the dashboard. On 21st May it was reported that the Green Ford Transit school minibus at Shenstone School had been interfered with and all the associated pipework to the Diesel Particulate Filter had been stolen. Overnight 21st May to 22nd May a lorry parked up overnight at Acorn Industrial Park was broken into whilst the driver was asleep in his cab, the doors were left open and boxes had been removed. Between 16th May and 24th May the premises of Thames New Services at Thames Road were broken in to, the locks were forced and then changed and fly tipping also took place, no CCTV at the location. On 25th May at 1.30 a resident was woken by noise in the street, saw two youths who then kicked the wing mirror off a silver Citroen Saxo. A white Vauxhall Corsa was stolen from outside Lyles Court between 10.25 on 21st May and 09.00 on 24th May. A neighbourhood Watch member in Woodside Road reported last week that a house there was raided by armed police. It can be confirmed that the suspect was followed home where he was intercepted and arrested by specialist officers, a large scale search was made of the address and items of interest removed. A Male was found collapsed near McDonalds on Saturday and Crayford officers assisted him. It became apparent that he was wanted for a breach of a court order, he was arrested, conveyed to hospital to be checked over before being taken in to custody. The team have issued two mobile phone tickets this week and assisted with the recovery of a stolen vehicle". Erith ward:- "Bike marking was carried out marking almost 20 bikes across Erith. More NHW area have been set up including 2 new ones in Erith Park, a part of the ground we have only just started to cover so this is very good news. Some Contact Session dates for you: Thursday 7/6/18 – Erith Library 2pm, Thursday 14/6/18 – Erith Library 3pm. Feel free to pop along and speak to us". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Over the last week the team have been assisting colleagues from Northend with a large scale operation in Darent Industrial Park. A number of businesses were checked simultaneously resulting in immigration arrests, stolen vehicles were recovered and a premise was closed down. The team have also been busy conducting stop and searches which have resulted in several cannabis warnings being issued. We are pleased to announce that there have been no residential burglaries reported to us yet again over the last week, which is great news .One commercial burglary at the BP garage in Bexley Road. A water compressor was stolen from an external cupboard in the car wash, the door was forced to gain entry. This took place on Monday May 21st between 5pm – 6pm but was not reported until Thursday May 24th. Following the warrant which was executed in Brook Street earlier this month, police have now concluded the investigation. As a result we have issued three fixed penalty £90 notices. One theft of a transit van in Hengist Road overnight on Wednesday May 30th. One report of criminal damage to a fence in Parsonage Manorway on the evening of Sunday 27th May. The team have been assisting the Erith ward with patrols and stopped five males who were initially stopped when officers saw a cannabis joint on the ground next to them. During a search for drugs, a large knife was found along with other property of interest to police. The group of males are known to police and a full investigation is now under way. Further updates regarding this will follow. The next drop in Police Surgery will be held at the library in Mill Road Erith on Thursday June 7th at noon". Slade Green and North End ward:- "Overnight last Weds/Thurs, 23/24 May, 2 vehicles were broken into. A wallet was stolen from a car in Leycroft gardens and a phone stolen from a vehicle in Bridge Road. Please try and remember to remove all your valuables from your vehicles when you are home for the night. Please pass this on again to all visitors to you. If anything valuable is on display, there is unfortunately a high chance it may get stolen. A child's pushbike was stolen from a communal area in Agate Court, Rainbow Road on Sunday evening. Details are still a bit sketchy at this time as it was reported a day after the event but it seems the owner gave chase but we don’t know if the bike was recovered. Any further updates will be sent out accordingly. No other notable crimes to report in the last week". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - On Wednesday 23/05/18 at 11:20 pm a shed burglary occurred in Harrow Manor Way, items to the value of £600:00 were taken. Crime Prevention: First off, check that your insurance covers the contents of your shed or outbuildings from theft. Lock it, hide it or mark it. Don’t give them the opportunity or the tools to commit a crime. Lock everything away securely. Tools can be locked inside a locker or box or secured with a chain. Secure your bike to the ground or a lockable stand within a locked shed or garage. Visit Sold Secure to search for ground anchors and other locks designed to fix to floors and walls. It’s always worth draping an old sheet or blanket over the top of mowers or bikes to keep them covered from view. Invest in a garage door stop. Although it might sound like stating the obvious, never leave your garage or shed door unlocked if you’re not around. Property marking your items is advisable and some tools can be painted with your name or postcode. Forensic marking is also an option and you can register some items on the Immobilise website for free. For more information visit Immobilise and our detailed page on property marking. Motor Vehicle Crimes - Between the hours of 06:45pm on Friday 25/05/18 and 05:00am on Monday 28/05/18 a motor cycle which had broken down was stolen from a lay-by on the Eastern Way. Have a Say event - Tuesday 05/06/18 between the hours of 2:00pm and 3:00pm the team will be attending The Link Bazalgette Way. An opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact, to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer".

The end video this week shows some of the events that took place at last years' Crossness Steampunk Convivial, as the next event was mentioned earlier in this update - I do plan these things. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

A first look at the new Bexley College campus.

Casual visitors to the Maggot Sandwich could quite easily get the impression that the blog is exclusively concerned with the building work going on in and around Erith. Though this is very far from the case, it is true however that there is currently more construction going on than at any time in my memory. Last week I covered the construction of Erith Park, the new housing development on the site of the old and mostly unlamented Larner Road estate. Erith Park looks extremely promising, and it will be great to revisit the development as work progresses. This week another key site in Erith receives my attention. The new Bexley College campus between Stonewood Road and Walnut Tree Road is getting close to completion. On Thursday I was invited for a private VIP tour by Danny Ridgeway, the college Principal, and Martin Peat, the Deputy Principal. We met on site and had to don hi Vis waistcoats, hard hats and goggles; as I habitually wear steel toecapped construction boots I did not need to change footwear. We then proceeded onto the site itself. The photo above shows Martin and Danny looking symbolically back from the new college to the old college building in Tower Road about a mile away, which is now closed to students, and will soon be demolished to make way for housing. I have heard several people comment that the new building looks too small to accommodate all of the thousand or so students and the classrooms and other facilities that will be required. I can categorically state that this is not the case. The interior of the new building is absolutely huge compared to the old tower; there is really no comparison. The new campus is very high tech and green - the main heating system is powered by a biomass converter, the air conditioning system filters the incoming air to remove pollutants, including vehicle emissions from the nearby roads, and the design of the structure allows for large windows in the internal walls, meaning that natural light penetrates even the deepest parts of the interior. Many college facilities will be open to the public, including a coffee shop, the hair and beauty suite where people will be able to get haircuts and beauty treatments from students. This was the case in the old campus, but the steep climb up the hill in Tower Road put many older customers off. The new campus has full wheelchair access throughout, WiFi internet access, a large library, a gym open to students and staff, a state of the art refectory and some cutting edge classrooms.

The photo above shows final construction work on the roof terrace, which is invisible from the ground. Students and lecturers will be able to use this external space for learning activities, and I think this will be a very popular destination when the weather is fine.

The photo above shows an alternative view of the roof terrace from the inside; as you can see the glazed area is huge; the artificial  lighting level required during daylight will be minimal, keeping bills down.

The photo above shows a fairly typical classroom, prior to the furniture and fittings being installed. Click on any picture for a larger version. 

This large space is where the gymnasium will be located; I understand that the windows will be fitted with an optical obscuring film in due course. The lighting throughout the campus is provided by energy efficient LED flat panels, which use less than ten percent of the power required by traditional light bulbs, and last much longer.

The last photo shows the space in which the college refectory and kitchens will be installed; as with everything in the new building, it is far larger than the facility in the old building which it is replacing. 

Erith hit the headlines on Tuesday night / Wednesday morning; a scrap yard and car repair centre on the Darent Industrial Estate on the Slade Green Marshes had a major fire, which drew fire fighters from Erith, Lee Green, Plumstead, Sidcup and Bexley to put it out. One problem that exacerbated the situation was the current closure of Manor Road for remodelling work; the road is the main route to the industrial estate; indeed one of the principal reasons the road is closed is to repair the wear and damage caused by trucks and heavy vehicles travelling to and from the industrial estate.  I saw a couple of fire engines get as far as the "King of the Grill" Kebab shop at the Western end of Manor Road. The drivers seemed not to have been informed about the ten week road closure, and had to turn around and take the lengthy diversion via North end Road and parts of Slade Green. I have no way of knowing if this contributed to the size and duration of the fire, but having some of the fire fighting resources tied up travelling on a circuitous one and a half mile diversion cannot have helped. If the fire had been on somewhere like the Frobisher Road estate, where the houses and flats are very densely populated, I hate to think what could have happened. As it is I understand that no lives were at risk in the breakers yard, although any place where high pressure bottled gas comes into contact with intense heat is always a risk. During the last fire in the same location, a number of propane cylinders exploded, which could have caused fatalities. It would seem to me that the fire safety record of the Darent Estate needs to be called into question, as these serious and potentially life threatening outbreaks are far too frequent.

Local resident Joan Newall has asked me to pass on the following information:- The Children's Society, are having a DO afternoon on Saturday 12th July 2pm to 5pm, at All Saints Church Hall, Nuxley Road,  Belvedere. We will be having a silly olympics afternoon with other games to play. We are asking everyone to bring their own picnic, we will play gamesfor the first half, with the parachute, and a hunt the thimble, catch the rat etc. then the picnic followed by silly olympics all we do will be suitable for all ages including the adults. There will be prizes and medals. Refreshments will be available at reasonable prices. there will also be a cake stall, and handmade cards for sale among other things. A number will be on the back of their ticket for a raffle prize. Entrance will be £2.00 each or £5.00 for a family ticket.

The local area seems to be targeted by a number of companies offering credit cards to people on low incomes and with poor credit histories. I have had a series of envelopes posted through my front door, which I generally remove any personal details, then take round to be recycled. This time I decided to read through the documentation just to see what was on offer. Personally I don’t own a credit card, as I have little or no need for one. If I cannot afford something immediately, I save up until I can. I am not a believer in personal debt – I have my (small) mortgage, but that is it. When I read the small print of the credit card application leaflet from a company called Vanquis Bank, I was appalled. You may recall that not long ago I wrote that being on a low income is very expensive. Lenders charge far higher interest rates to people they feel are a bad credit risk; conversely this means that the borrower is actually more likely to default due to the crippling interest charges. The Vanquis Bank credit card has a base interest rate of 39.9 to 59.9 percent, depending on the financial situation of the applicant. The card offers a very low initial credit limit, from £150 to £1,000, though the bank does state that if card repayments meet certain criteria, the credit limit can be raised every four months to a maximum level of £3,000.  Compared to this, Barclaycard, MBNA, Sainsbury Nectar and Leeds Building Society all offer a credit card that charges a fixed 18.9 percent interest rate and far superior terms and conditions. Vanquis Bank is an operating arm of the Provident Financial Group, a financial services company with an income in excess of £1 billion a year, and Vanquis is designed to siphon as much of that cash from low income earners as possible. Once again the poor get financially hammered for being poor. It is a vicious circle. If this was not bad enough, the largest payday lending company in the UK is Wonga – they have dreadful adverts on television so frequently that they feel like they are shown on a loop. Wonga got in very hot water this week after they got caught red handed sending out fake solicitors letters to borrowers who had not repaid their loans on time. To add insult to injury, Wonga were then adding “solicitors” fees to the amount of the outstanding loan. They have been fined £2.6 million for these fraudulent actions, but nobody has been prosecuted. I feel fortunate that I have a healthy income and don’t need to worry as the end of the month approaches, but I am acutely aware that many people are not nearly so lucky. Organisations like Vanquis and Wonga are exploiting people who have little other financial choice. It may be legal (or not, in Wonga’s case) but in my books it is certainly not moral.

Locals may have noticed an increase in the number of commercial ships mooring on Erith Pier over the last couple of years. I know for certain that some of the anglers who fish off the pier have been none too happy regarding the increase in shipping traffic that periodically stops on the pier. The reason that mostly bulk freighters stop on the pier is simple; they are being used to transport millions of tonnes of earth from the tunnels dug for the Crossrail Project, and take them to Wallasea Island in Essex, where the soil is used to enlarge the Wallasea Island nature reserve, one of the most successful wetland bird reserves in the UK, which specialises in the conservation of wading birds.

Long time Maggot Sandwich readers may have seen some disturbing similarities between the story printed last week in the News Shopper about the illegal rave planned to go ahead in the Arjo Wiggins fine paper factory in Turpin Lane, Off Manor Road in Erith. Police got wind of the plan and descended mob handed on the place before the organisers could get the sound system set up. After the stories in the national press over a 15 year old boy’s death at another rave in Croydon, the Police are understandably concerned about something similar happening locally. Some years ago there was a nightclub / bar in Manor Road actually on the industrial estate. The place was called “The Wardrobe”, and from what I can gather it was very dodgy indeed. It was run from a car breakers yard, and I am pretty sure that it did not have a licence. Nowadays it is long gone, and largely forgotten. The most blatant illegal nightclub in the area was one I am happy to say that I had a small part in getting closed down. Back in November 2008 GC’s Nightclub opened in an old and abandoned industrial unit in the Europa Industrial Estate on Fraser Road. The club was unlicensed and had no fire certificate. The people behind it hid behind an obscure law which states that unlicensed premises can be used to hold entertainment events up to twelve times per year. The law was intended to allow youth clubs and scout / guide troops to hold cabarets and pantomimes in their village halls without needing to get council approval. Unscrupulous operators use the law to set up nightclubs in old and often unsafe buildings; they set up the club, then just before opening to the public, they apply for planning permission and an entertainment licence. In most instances, this prevents the council from closing them immediately – they have to wait for the often lengthy process of licence approval / denial to go through. In the meantime the club operates with virtual impunity – usually over the Christmas period. The owners know that they have no realistic chance of getting their application approved, and this really is not the point – they get to open over the lucrative Christmas period, only to close up shop as soon as the licence application is thrown out. They then disappear without paying any bills. This is exactly the situation than nearly happened with GC’s Nightclub, but so much negative publicity was generated via both the Maggot Sandwich, and the News Shopper that the venue only opened for three nights before the operators pulled out. It was just as well, as I understand the place was full of blue asbestos, the wiring was condemned and it had no fire escape. The operators disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, and nothing has been heard of them since. I am all for new leisure and entertainment facilities in the local area; there is very little to do in and around Erith in the evenings at the moment, but they need to be legal and safe, and GC’s was neither. There is a very bright light on the horizon in this respect, and I will be going into greater detail in the weeks that come. For the moment however, I am sworn to secrecy, as the project is not yet quite ready for launch. Watch this space.

Local MP Teresa Pearce is running a jobs fair and workshop for local people at the Belvedere Community Centre on the 11th July - details on the poster above. Click on it for a larger view. A very worthwhile scheme, and I hope that it does well.

At work I am currently involved in testing Microsoft Office 2013 for deployment. Large companies are usually very cautious when deploying new software, especially when the application forms a core of their business. You will often find that they are at least one, if not two versions behind the current one for this very reason. Personally I only use MS Office during my paid work; The current Office 2013 is a fine product, and a major improvement on Office 2007 which was a pain to use with an inconsistent and unintuitive user interface. Office 2013 is cleaner, clearer and generally a better thought out application. What does strike me about the new look and feel Microsoft are deploying in many if not all of their products is that they are being designed to look good in a browser window. Microsoft now offer a web based office suite called Office 365, and it is immediately apparent that the locally installed Office 2013 mimics the look and feel of the online product. I am pretty certain that Microsoft have been watching Google and their Google Docs online, web based office suite for some time. Google Docs is an excellent product that I use on a regular basis; it does not however have all of the enterprise functions and features that MS Office does – but for most people it is “good enough”.  The other striking point about Google Docs is that it is free to use,  though corporate can pay for 24/7 technical support, and for it to be branded with their company design and logo. I think that Microsoft will reduce emphasis on the old “big iron” MS office locally installed application, and instead promote their Office 365 web based solution, which will be available by corporate and individual subscription. The other benefit of a web based application is it is far easier to issue patches and updates, as no software needs to be installed on the client machine – all it needs is a web connection and a suitable web browser to operate. This is where the market is heading, and I would not be at all surprised if Office 2013 is the last version that will be locally installable. The technology has moved ahead, and Microsoft are fully aware that they can no longer rely on shifting boxes. The market is now online. The debate is now, how long, rather than if software will make the transition from something installed on your computer hard drive, to something accessed over the web. When this is done well (examples include the aforementioned Google Docs, Gmail and Flickr) it is impossible for the user to tell where the work is actually taking place – just as it should be. Your thoughts and feedback are welcomed below’; alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com

A development has happened this week that will mean little to most people who don’t come from a North African background. The Government has decided to make the stimulant plant Khat illegal, and in this respect Khat is now a class C prohibited drug. The drug comes in the form of a small, green leafed plant, which is chewed to get a mild stimulant effect; I am told it is roughly similar to a cup of strong coffee. Khat has been legally sold in Britain for many years, mainly from African greengrocers. The drug is only effective when the Khat leaves are fresh, so it tends to be sold in plastic bags to keep the leaves moist. I have seen Khat on sale in Plumstead and Woolwich on many occasions, but not in Erith. I think the main reason for this is that there is a substantial Yemeni and Somalian presence in Plumstead and Woolwich, which is not the case in Erith, where most residents of African origin come from Nigeria. Culturally the chewing of Khat leaves seems to be isolated to a handful of countries, and Nigeria is not amongst them. I am somewhat ambivalent about the way in which the government is handling the situation; they are keen to align themselves with several European countries, Canada and the USA which have already banned the sale and consumption of Khat, yet by the same token they risk driving it underground and creating a new revenue stream for drug dealers, as the demand for it will not stop just because of the ban. Khat has been graded as the least addictive and least damaging recreational drug that is in common use – way lower than Alcohol, Tobacco or Cannabis. Whilst personally I would question why anyone would want to chew a bunch of leaves that turn your saliva and eventually your teeth green, I fail to see a compelling argument for the banning of it.  This is what the Metropolitan Police official statement on the banning says:-

Engagement

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has been working with their partners to prepare for the change to the law, and have listened to the concerns of community leaders and groups. The Police have been talking to khat users, retailers and mafreshi and café owners. Distributing \'reassurance messages\', leaflets, posters, and press releases and speaking to the media - examples of relevant video footage are shown below: Link to YouTube footage of interview with Brent Police Partnership Lead, Simon Rose and the Association of Chief Police Officers Drugs Lead, Andy Bliss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_uQJBuEq2U&sns=tw Link to a YouTube footage of khat classification infomercial: http://youtu.be/_Nb4fBdtbgY

Enforcement

The police have taken steps to ensure that their officers are aware of the cultural issues surrounding the use of khat and they have been told to adopt a sensitive, appropriate and proportionate approach to enforcement. Following national guidelines on personal possession, in the first instance possession will be dealt with by way of a Khat Warning. On the second occasion, a £60 Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) will be issued. Further possession offences will likely lead to arrest for possession of a controlled Class C drug and further action. The importation, supply and distribution of khat will be dealt with far more severely. For example the maximum punishment for importation of a Class C Drug is 14 years imprisonment. 

Monitoring

The impact of police enforcement in the MPS will be reviewed after one, three, six and twelve months when each borough will be required to review stop and search, khat related interventions, incidents of anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, community tension and public confidence in the police.

For more information

To contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team visit the Met Police website at:

http://content.met.police.uk/Page/YourBorough

I have been conducting a bit of a study, with some interesting results. Back in August 2008, I wrote the following:-“ I have been carrying out an unscientific and informal investigation - I have been counting the number of discarded beer cans I see in the street and in hedge rows. So far the results seem pretty conclusive; for every ten discarded cans I see, one is Heineken, one is Fosters and EIGHT are Stella Artois! It would seem the street drinkers' tipple of choice is indeed Stella. Please read the article here - unfortunately sourced from the daily paper I most despise, but the article is well written and puts some valuable points into consideration. Stella Artois has indeed "done a Burberry" and ruined its' own reputation.” I have carried out the same informal investigation into discarded beer cans once again, and the results were surprising to say the least. This time only four out of ten cans were Stella Artois, and I think I know the reason why. Back when I carried out my original, very unscientific survey, Stella was brewed so that each can contained 5.2 percent alcohol, which is what gave it the unofficial title of “wife beater”. Nowadays the alcohol content has been reduced to 4.8 percent, making it a less attractive option for al fresco topers.  Nowadays I see more white cider cans, some of which have an alcohol content of between seven and nine percent – as strong as some wines. It would appear that Stella has been edged out of the wino market by stronger and cheaper brews. Nevertheless it is still vile, tasteless and gassy rubbish.

Going back to where we started for the ending video; here is a visual run through of what Bexley College will look like when it is fully finished and open to students. Please feel free to leave a comment below as always.